Saturday, February 14, 2009

Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Today is also the birthday of Richard Allen, February 014 1760 - March 26, 1831.

Richard Allen was the first African American ordained minister of the Methodist church. Allen tried to remain loyal to the Methodist church the face of racism and segregation. But after an incident where he and a companion were physically pulled from their knees during prayer for being in the wrong place he and other African Americans eventually formed the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Allen also operated a stop on the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves.